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mature@eu

Mature@eu is a European project which has been researching age diversity in the ICT sector.

The project work continues until July 2008 and has been developing an environment which supports employers in recruiting and selecting mature workers. The project has produced a research report available on their project website at www.mature-project.eu/downloads.htm.

If you would like more information about the mature@eu project, please contact Mike Healy, Project Leader ( Great Britain ) on 02079 115000 or email m.v.healy@westminister.ac.uk.

Cementing a Future – Changing Lives

The CEMENT Project is hosting a special event on 30 th and 31 st October in Hemel Hempstead , Hertfordshire. The conference will demonstrate how the project is changing perceptions and supporting disadvantaged individuals into work in the construction sector – through a highly interactive two day event.

This is a free event. To get a brochure and register your attendance, email kirsty.patterson@dacorum.gov.uk or ring Kirsty on 01442 867835.

Supporting Older People

Meeting the Challenges of an Ageing Society

Run in partnership with the National Housing Federation (NHF), two major national conferences are being held to will bring together people who have a role in meeting the challenges of an ageing society.

The conferences will draw on expert information and the insights from 19 projects supported by Hact and the Lintel Trust. There will be discussions on the Government’s new National Strategy for Housing in an Ageing Society and sessions which will examine how associations can work in partnership with other third sector organisations to develop solutions and meet the needs of older people.

Hact are offering a number of reduced rate delegate places on a first-come, first served basis to individual older people and members of small, under-resourced organisations.

The dates and locations of the two conferences are:

- Wednesday 7 November 2007 - The Midland Hotel, Manchester
- Tuesday 11 December 2007 - Royal Institute of British Architects, London

For more information please contact NHF's Business Sales and Support Team

by post:
National Housing Federation
Lion Court
25 Procter Street
London
WC1V 6NY

email: events@housing.org.uk
tel: 020 7067 1066
fax: 020 7067 1015

www.hact.org.uk/events.asp?PageId=37

News from TAEN

Nearly Half of 50+s Want Flexible Approach to Retirement

According the the TAEN press release of 18 September, 2007, nearly half of people approaching retirement in the UK would like to consider flexible working patterns as they approach retirement.

However in reality, only around 1 in 6 (15%) retired people had actually altered their working patterns before stopping completely.

Of those continuing to work beyond state pension age, nearly half (47%) did so because they enjoyed working, although 32% say they can't afford to stop.

The findings come from in-depth survey of more than 1,600 people aged 50-66*
commissioned by Norwich Union which forms part of their new Rethinking Retirement report.

Read the rest of the press release at:
www.taen.org.uk/news/index.php?action=showcat&catid=1

Defining healthy minimum income needs for older people

Minimum Income Required by Older People

The University of Bristol have released a report along with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine which defines the minimum income required by older people to live healthy and decent lives. Alarmingly, the published report states that the minimum income needs for older people are almost 50 per cent greater than the UK state pension.

This study (initially funded by Age Concern England) sought to translate information gathered worldwide since World War II on people’s health and well-being into practical everyday guidance on healthy ways of living and their minimum cost for older people.

The Paper is titled: Defining a minimum income for healthy living (MIHL): older age, England by JN Morris, Paul Wilkinson, Alan D Dangour, Christopher Deeming and Astrid Fletcher

For more information on this report, contact:

University of Bristol
Senate House
Tyndall Avenue
Bristol BS8 1TH

Tel: +44 (0)117 928 9000

www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2007/5548.html

News from NIACE

What Older People Learn

This new report from NIACE includes research into what subjects older people prefer to study, what motivates them to learn and how they find out about and access learning opportunities. It also examines benefits and barriers to learning later in life.

Alan Tuckett, Director of NIACE co-authored the report. He said:

"Older workers count. The age of retirement is increasing. Moving away from paid work is becoming a more prolonged process and less of an abrupt transformation.” He continued, “Encouraging adult learning in all its forms is under threat; it is important to listen to those who benefit to help us better understand how the complex and broad ways of learning, particularly in later life, is valued.”

The report What Older People Learn can be purchased from NIACE's online bookshop for £12.95.

For more information visit NIACE’s website on www.niace.org.uk

News from TAEN

Older Workers’ Share of Employment Increase Falling

The latest employment figures show the share of the overall increase in employment taken by workers over the age of 50 has fallen over the last three months.

TAEN Chief Executive Chris Ball described the statistics as ‘worrying’ and stated that with ‘people over 50 constituting the largest pool of untapped labour available to employers’, ‘…the Government will need to take more proactive measures to encourage the employment of older workers in order to meet its 80% employment rate aspiration.’

To read the entire press release (15 th August), visit www.taen.org.uk

Single Equality Act Consultation

There has been recent Government consultation on proposals which have arisen from the Discrimination Law Review for a Single Equality Act. Chris Ball responded by pointing out that age is often ‘at the bottom of the equalities pile.’

TAEN is calling on the Government to extend the age discrimination legislation to cover goods, facilities and services. Discrimination in these areas has included insurance companies refusing insurance to older customers, car hire companies not allowing people over 60 to hire a car and people over 65 with mental health issues being transferred to services which focus primarily on dementia care and less patient specific.

To read the entire press release (31 st August), visit www.taen.org.uk

Equal Works Debate with Kay Carberry

Thank you for all from the SWOOP Team and DP who participated in the Equal Works live debate held on 26 th July either on the day or by pre-submitting questions.

The debate focussed on issues around valuing the experiences of the older worker as well as workplace discrimination. According to Kay Carberry, Assistant General-Secretary of the TUC, ‘The kinds of discrimination that we see are in recruitment and attitudes.’ During the hour-long debate she responded to questions and comments in areas of older people’s rights, training, retraining and employment.

To view the entire debate, visit www.equal-works.com

Comments Please….

Draft South West Regional Equality and Diversity Strategy for the Third Sector

Equality South West has recently completed a draft strategy on equality and diversity for the third sector. They are asking for comments on the strategy by 19 th October after which there will be a consultation event to finalise the strategy.

If you have not received a copy, please contact Equality South West on 01823 250833 or email info@equalitysouthwest.org.uk.

Equal Works 2007 Conference

On 10th and 11th September, SWOOP attended the Equal Works 2007 Conference at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham.

The conference enabled participants from the UK’s Equal Programme to showcase good practice and network with more than 300 colleagues and peers. The conference featured Margaret Prosser, Commission for Equality and Human Rights as key note speaker and Steve Wallace, Office for the Third Sector.

All presentations and plenary videos are available by on the website at www.equal.ecotec.co.uk/conference07.

Launch of New Think-Piece from the International Longevity Centre - UK (ILC-UK)

'Unlocking the Community' explores how older people's growing capacity for organising in the community can promote better social engagement and well-being in later life by setting out an innovative model for community development and activity being pioneered in Devon.

Authored by Simon Goodenough, Director of the 'Upstream' Healthy Living Centre, this paper describes how older people themselves are engaged with to create self-organising groups in the community that promote active ageing and social participation.

It goes on to describe how this model has been integrated with the work of local primary care trusts and health professionals, to link up the benefits of community organisations to the statutory sector.   You can download 'Unlocking the Community' at the ILC website: www.ilcuk.org.uk  

News From Equality South West

Organisations Still Not Capitalising On Workplace Diversity

The Chartered Management Institute has published guidelines to help organisations and managers embrace diversity in the workplace.  

The guidelines, called ‘Embracing Diversity’, call on all UK organisations to have formal diversity policies in place.  They also highlight the positive impact of a diverse workforce on performance and productivity, as companies have access to a wider talent pool and more varied skills base.    

To capitalise on the benefits diversity can bring, the guide offers organisations advice on how to develop an effective workplace policy.  Areas to consider include:

• ensuring top level support within the organisation
• establishing the current levels of diversity management
• identifying areas where change and support is needed
• compiling a diversity action plan
• monitoring and reviewing the plan and gathering evidence for improvement

The guide also recognises the potential barriers to diversity in the workplace and offers ways of tackling internal resistance.  Recommendations ranged from integrating diversity into training and development programmes to creating forums where diversity issues can be discussed by employees.

For more information on the Institute’s ‘Embracing Diversity’ Guidelines, please visit: www.managers.org.uk/bestpracticeguides

Using the Grey Matter to Build the Future

David Wright, Chief Executive of the Manufacturing Advisory Service - West Midlands has written an article titled ‘Using the Grey Matter to Build the Future’. In the article, Mr. Wright looks at the ageing population, flexible working, recruitment shortages, and skilled workers within the manufacturing industry.

The article was featured in the Birmingham Post on 19 th July and can be found on http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/birminghampost/business/

Older People in Employment

An article featured in the Financial Times on 19 th July stated that people working past state pension age is currently at record levels. Men above 65 and women above 60 accounted for just under half of the 180,000 rise in employment to 29.07m during the 12 months to the end of May according to the Office for National Statistics.

If we include men and women aged 50+ in those figures, then older people accounted for 80% of the increase in employment in the UK in the same time period.   According to Hilary Stevens, SWOOP Project Researcher: “In the South West, the increase of 15,000 in employment was largely made up of older people aged 50 to state pension age (13,000).

The number of people working beyond state pension age increased by 2,000 over the 12 month period to May 2007. Interestingly, the number of people employed aged between 25 and 34 fell by 9,000.”   In the UK , the proportion of people above pension age with jobs has risen by more than 3 percentage points to 11 % since the mid 1990s, as concerns over rising longevity and worsening private sector pension provision have mounted

News From NIACE  

2008 is the EU Year of Elder Abuse and we hope that the role of Financial Education in identifying, minimising and eradicating this area of Elder Abuse is undertaken seriously. NIACE has considerable experience in this area and currently works across the whole remit of adult financial education and education in care settings for older people.

We think that this focus in 2008 is an ideal opportunity to develop and identify the educational aspects of Financial Abuse. NIACE aims to develop:

• a scoping exercise based on the UK study by Comic Relief
• a NIACE Policy Paper
• an EU/International conference
• training materials for different sectors, e.g. finance, care and education
• funding streams to enable projects to develop.

We would hope to see some of the work to be in the public arena by the launch - January 2008, but would see several opportunities to promote the agenda and draw in any developed practice through ALW and Sign Up Now.

News from TAEN

Skills Working Rights May Be Extended To Older Workers

While addressing a seminar in London hosted by the Social Market Foundation, John Hutton, the Work and Pensions Secretary told an audience that the possibility of extending flexible working rights to include older workers would be considered as part of the Default Retirement Age review in 2011.

He told the audience that the continued economic success of the UK depends upon ensuring the increased contribution of older people. To read the rest of this report, visit www.taen.org.uk/news.

Mr. Hutton’s full speech text can be found on www.dwp.gov.uk/aboutus/2007/18-06-07.asp.

Skills Shortages Expected To Get Worse And Fuel Wage Inflation

According to a survey of 200 organisations across the UK, a substantial proportion of employers expect skills shortages to get worse and believe that wages will be driven up as they attempt to attract and retain workers with the necessary skills.

Only 1 in 8 of the organisations thought Government policy and regulation was helping with the problem. Nearly one half said they needed to make better use of their existing talent by improving their retention strategies. Overall, one third thought the key to increasing the UK’s productivity was to improve education and training.

To read the full report, visit www.taen.org.uk/news.

News from NIACE

Fred Moore Institutional Awards

The awards are open to organisations in England that demonstrate innovation and good practice for older learners. They are named after Fred Moore who was honoured by the DFES as the Oldest Learner in England in 2000 at the age of 104. Previous award-winning projects have been made across the voluntary sector, further and higher education, local authorities and self-help education groups.

For more information and an application form contact Gillian Aird on 01162 042843 or email gillian.aird@niace.org.uk.

Reminiscence and Lifelong Learning

NIACE has produced this new publication which looks at the experiences of author Sarah Housden during her work in nursing homes. She talks about the positive effect reminiscence has on older people and their families. She also examines the older people’s memories in the context of learning resources as personal memories are a source of knowledge, ideas and experiences which tutors and learners can draw on.

The complete Reminiscence and Lifelong Learning publication is available to purchase from the NIACE online book shop for £9.95.

You can listen to Sarah’s interview on the NIACE website at www.niace.org.uk/news/current.htm.

News from TAEN

Congratulations to Chris Ball on his appointment as the new Chief Executive of TAEN.

Chris began his post on 17 April and brings with him a wealth of experience on age and employment issues. We look forward to working with Chris and TAEN as we further the work of the SWOOP Project.

More People Doing Internet Job Searches

Jobcentre Plus recently reported that during one week in March, a record 6.5 million job searches were conducted on their website by nearly 2.2 million jobseekers.

The website normally handles approximately 6 million job searches per week.

Read the rest of this press release and other TAEN news on their website at www.taen.org.uk/news/index.php?action=showcat&catid=1.

Launch of Silver Surfer Classroom

There are 22 topics arranged in two categories – Beginners and Next Steps.

These guides can be used online or downloaded for printing. They use clear, large text and simple wording, covering topics such as holding a mouse, blogging, digital images, emailing, keyboards and understanding browsers. For more information, visit the website at www.silversurfersday.org/classroom.php.

News from NIACE

Demography – Warning Over Workforce Black Hole

According to Chris Humphries, Government skills advisor, urgent action must be taken to prevent a workforce ‘black hole’ created by birth rate decline during the 1990s. With a predicted 600,000 fewer young workers by 2020, there are likely to be as many as 2 million unfilled jobs by this date.

How are we going to fill these jobs and move the economy forward? Mr. Humphries suggests that immediate action must be taken to target people who are not in receipt of benefits and who are not working to help stimulate economic growth, an area which was not properly addressed in the Leitch Review.

Source: www.niace.org.uk

On 16 May 2007 Minister Bill Rammell made a statement to the House of Commons to clarify the position. He pointed out that it was never the intention of the Government to see a reduction in provision for older learners as a result of the Regulations, and although it is now illegal to discriminate against someone on grounds of age in "vocational training" (which includes all further and higher education), the Age Regulations do permit "objective justification" of discrimination in specific circumstances.  

NIACE's view is that arbitrary discrimination on the basis of age is wrong (as well as illegal), and that those who can pay should be expected to do so, since this maximises the resources available to support those who can't pay. However, there are clearly arguments for specific measures to encourage particular groups of people to participate.   If providers wish to maintain fee concessions they are advised to be clear about the basis on which they are doing this, and consider seeking their own legal advice.  

For more information, go to: www.niace.org.uk/Research/older_bolder/Projects/AgeRegulations/fees.htm  

NIACE publishes 'Briefing Sheets' on a range of topics, many of which focus on issues of older people, including 'Dyslexia and Older People' and 'How to Work in Partnership to Fund Projects for Older Learners'.

The Briefing Sheets are downloadable and are available at: http://www.niace.org.uk/information/Briefing_sheets/default.htm  

MOWE (Move On With Equal)

MOWE is an Equal programme managed by Tribal CTAD. The programme aims to support Equal Developmental Partnerships in their efforts to raise their beneficiaries' skill levels and overcome barriers.

MOWE provides learning materials in four vocationally related areas (construction, enterprise, personal finance and customer care). There are examples of good practice, guidance and support tools.

MOWE also works with key national stakeholders, including policy developers, to improve the opportunities available to people with low skills wanting to gain vocational qualifications.

For more information visit the MOWE website at www.mowe.org.uk.

News from Age Concern

Findings from Age Concern research shows that although two out of three existing jobs and nine out of ten new jobs ask for ICT skills, there is an age bias to training opportunities in the workplace.

They claim that only one in five employees aged 50-59 have had IT training recently, compared to one in three 25-49 year olds. The findings were released on 30 th April to mark the launch of Age Concern’s Digital Inclusion Network which aims to close the gap between older people and opportunities for learning related to Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The Digital Inclusion Network which is supported by BT, is open to any organisation or group that wants to offer ICT training to older people through the provision of funding, support and resources.

To read the entire press release visit Age Concern’s media centre at www.ageconcern.org.uk/AgeConcern/press.asp.

For more information on how to get involved with the Digital Inclusion Network, email Zainab Jah at zainabjah@ace.org.uk.

Did You Know…

Having more than one disadvantaging characteristic considerably reduces a person’s chances of finding work.

For example, compared to an overall employment rate of 75%, people over 50 years of age have an employment rate of 70% but if they are disabled, this falls to 43% and if they also lack qualifications the rate is 24%. There are nearly a million people nationwide in the last group.

Source: DWP analysis of Winter 2003 data reported in House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee, The Government’s Report of Session, 2006/07.

Drop in Number of Adult Learners

The announcement from the Learning and Skills Council in the Statistical First Release containing new figures on learner numbers in Further Education and work based learning (October 2006) shows a further significant drop in the number of adult learners in Further Education and Adult and Community Learning.

Overall, there are one in eight fewer adult learners since October 2005 with almost 250,000 people no longer engaging in learning. There are now less than one half the learners age 60 and over than there were two years ago.

Alan Tuckett, Director of NIACE, said “The time has come for Government to take breath and ask itself whether this is the best way to secure a learning society. A million adults have been lost to learning in just two years. How many more have we got to lose before the Government wakes up?”

He continued, “The evidence is overwhelmingly clear. Adult learning makes a difference to your health. It inhibits the onset of Alzheimer’s and has a positive effect on learners’ children. Because of demography two in three of the jobs in the next ten years will need to be filled by adults. All the gains of the last ten years are now lost except for the welcome increases in literacy, language and numeracy learners and the modest improvements in workplace learning. It’s too high a price to pay. These figures show that adult learning provision has been devastated over the past two years.”

Source: NIACE Press Release: ‘Adult Learning Devastated’ (link to NIACE press release).

What's Happening in Parliament?

A cross parliamentary committee which has been examining the activities of the Department of Work and Pensions and in particular the committee has identified key issues which are relevant to the work being done by SWOOP projects and in particular the examples of good practice which are being generated.  

What the committee has said:

• more effective ways need to be found to engage those further from the labour market with programmes such as New Deals;
• more flexibility is needed to allow the New Deals to respond effectively to individuals needs and circumstances;
• there needs to be more flexibility at a local level to allow the development of a strategy appropriate to the local labour market;
• there needs to be more effective engagement with employers, particularly in the design of employability and training programmes that are effective in moving disadvantaged people into sustainable employment; and
• a more effective strategy is needed to assist people to remain in work and to progress.

It is therefore timely that SWOOP is generating examples of good practice on exactly these issues!  

These two articles featured in the Saturday, 24th February edition of The Independent:  

Look Ahead To An Age Of Adventure
It seems that more and more people over the age of 50 are taking gap years to do round-the-world trips, volunteering holidays and adventure tours. The article includes interviews with older folks who have taken their holidays to a new level, including a 61 year old teacher who volunteered at a school in Sri Lanka , a 54 year old doctor who rode his motorbike across India with his partner and 59 year old nurse who worked at an orphanage in Zambia .    

Be Prepared To Enjoy The Good Life
This article looks at the growing trend of British pensioners who are deciding to move overseas. Each year, an estimated 90,000 families from the United Kingdom decide to move their homes, careers and adopt a different culture. The article features advice on buying overseas property as well as financial matters such as drawing a UK pension. Two interviewees originally from the UK , one who moved to Canada and another who moved to France give interesting and heartwarming accounts of their relocations.

Adult Learners’ Week

Adult Learners’ Week is an international campaign taking place during the week of May 19 – 25th, bringing together the private, public and voluntary sectors to inspire people to pursue adult learning.

Last year more than 56,000 people took part in events across the UK . For more information, go to NIACE’s website at www.niace.org.uk/alw/2007.

Leitch Review of Skills

In 2004, the Government commissioned an independent review of the UK 's long term skills needs. The final report of the Leitch Review of Skills was published on 5th December 2006. You can view the full report on the HM Treasury website at www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/independent_reviews/leitch_review/review_leitch_index.cfm

There have been many comments on the potential impact of the Leitch review from experts, including SWOOP partners. You can view full comments from Patrick Grattan of TAEN on the COIP in the News section. A shorter version of TAEN’s comments is available on their website at www.taen.org.uk/news/index.php?action=showcat&catid=1 .

Andy Dean from SLIM at the University of Exeter has also produced an excellent resource of information and comments which is currently available on the SLIM website at www.swslim.org.uk/news/comments/index.asp .

Not Dead Yet

In the report titled ‘Not Dead Yet’ Hazards editor Rory O’Neill describes what is necessary to provide healthier workplaces for all regardless of age.

The article also uses case studies, personal stories and links to age information including the HSE age and gender statistical information, European Foundation ‘Ageing and Work’ webpages and TUC workSMART age regulation myth-buster.

The Hazards report ‘Not Dead Yet’ can be found in Hazards Magazine Number 96 at www.hazards.org/olderworkers . On it’s website, Hazards describes itself as an “independent union-friendly magazine which offers up to date health and safety information and resources and provides answers to workplace problems.”

Older and Bolder

Niace’s Older and Bolder initiative promotes wider opportunities for older people by providing current news, reviews, events, projects and discussion forums on the issues of ageing and learning.

Visit Older and Bolder at http://www.niace.org.uk/research/older_bolder/default.htm .

The Older and Bolder link is also available on the SWOOP website at http://www.swoop-project.org.uk/individuals/links .